I believe we can all heal mentally and physically from this pandemic

BY KAHA G. – 14 YEARS OLD

In the year 2020, the entire world experienced the COVID-19 pandemic. We watched it slowly make its way around the world, killing millions of people. Now, we’re in 2023, and things are back to normal, or is it? This is where the topic that I am talking about comes into play. Isolation during COVID-19 took a toll on our social skills, and became the root of mental health issues.

Considering we weren’t able to socialize for an entire year, an article by today.com stated that “After a year spent at home, there is finally an end in sight to the COVID-19 pandemic, but for some, the light at the end of the tunnel feels less like a cause for celebration and more like the root cause of growing anxiety.”

We all know that communication wasn’t the strongest asset everyone had coming back from a pandemic unless you’re an extrovert of course. For instance, my teachers have noticed that they see many students by themselves at lunchtime, just on their phones. Keep in mind that being socially withdrawn does not only affect children. but adults too.

A survey conducted by The Pew Research Center shows how the national divide after COVID-19 has gotten worse. Their article “Feelings of social division increased since the start of the pandemic,” stated that “A median of 61% across all 17 advanced economies say they are now more divided than before the outbreak, while 34% feel more united.” Surprise surprise, this has translated into our schools, affecting students. Another effect is how isolation affects us mentally. For example, according to forbes.com, “25% report feeling anxious and 20% said they feel scared about socializing with friends or family they haven’t seen since the onset of the pandemic.”

Last but not least, the best part, is the solution. My school has made positive changes to help heal our world, and it’s called the Weston Buddies Club! They have fun activities and planned field trips throughout the year. So, having clubs like Weston Buddies in every school would be beneficial to lower the number of people by themselves at lunch.

Additionally, one condition to the club could be that every lunch they could find someone that’s by themselves and welcome them to join. Some people might be too shy, or not hear the announcements clearly to get information, so this would be helpful.

Furthermore, for adults, it’s harder to find friends because they’re not in an environment to which they can always relate to others. In the workplace, there could be social gatherings or interest groups just like we have now at school to get to know the people around you.

This topic is personal to me because I was already introverted before the pandemic, so you can imagine that it gradually got worse. Over time, I have overcome my fears, and put myself out there whether it be helping someone, to presenting better. I believe we can all heal mentally and physically from this pandemic, and slowly but surely achieve the highest success.